"A cemetery may be considered as abandoned when all or practically all of the bodies have been Removed therefrom and no bodies have been buried therein for a great many years, and the cemetery has been so long neglected as entirely to lose its identity as such, and is no longer known, recognized and respected by the public as a cemetery. 1953 OAG 2978."

Review of Meeting Minutes: Co-Chair Petit opened the floor for discussion of the minutes of the June 6, 2014 meeting of the Ohio Cemetery Law Task Force. There being no discussion Mr. Turner moved to approve the minutes of the June 6th meeting. Mr. Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

II. Old Business

Co-Chair Petit opened the floor for discussion of old business.Mr. Applegate arrived at 9:36 am. Mr. Piccininni arrived at 9:42 am.The task force began with a discussion of criminal penalties; specifically desecration and vandalism. The conversation revolved around determining the desired outcomes from the task force’s eventual recommendations. Discussion included looking at the reasons people might violate the statutes; the difference between felonies and misdemeanors and whether the task force wants to recommend a wider range of penalties for prosecutors versus increasing education for prosecutors on the cultural value of cemeteries/burial sites/monuments/memorials. The task force then looked at prosecutorial discretion and how prosecutors determine the level of proof of a crime and whether prosecutors only look at the amount of damage the crime caused. The task force deliberated on whether prosecutors would take into consideration what a cemetery/burial site/monument/memorial was worth; the value of cultural and historical significance; the cost of fixing/replacing damaged property and the value of antiquities if any were involved in the crime.

The task force determined that specific recommendations on individual crimes would be difficult to come to a consensus on but that it would be important to provide general recommendations on criminal penalties involving cemeteries/burial sites/monuments/memorials. The task force expressed frustration that the desecration and vandalism crimes occurring in cemeteries and burial sites are not being taken as seriously as they should be by prosecutors. The task force also indicated they strongly believe in the importance of education for prosecutors to draw more attention/thought on these crimes with respect to cemeteries/burials.

There was also great consideration given to providing prosecutors the latitude to charge a range of misdemeanor or felony for desecration in ORC 2927.11.The task force concluded with the recommendation that educational outreach should be conducted from stakeholder groups such as the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio Cemetery Association, Ohio Township Association, Ohio Municipal League, Genealogical Societies and the Ohio History Connection. Finally, the task force would begin drafting a descending grade of misdemeanors and felonies available for desecration with grading not based on cost alone.

The task force then moved on to a discussion of natural burial and the draft language created by Mr. Turner and Ms. Monick. After a brief discussion Mr. Turner offered to work on re-wording the definition to make it more general with respect to vaults and chemicals.

The task force then began deliberating about cemeteries on private land versus registered, currently operating cemeteries with respect to the current draft of ORC 4767.12. The discussion progressed to burial sites versus archeological features, such as mounds. After a brief discussion it was determined that language would be drafted with respect to burial sites; incorporating NAGPRA standards and a reporting process when a burial site is discovered.

Mr. George left the meeting at 11:15 am.

III. New BusinessCo-chair Petit brought the task force into new business. The task force began with the issue brought forth by the Ohio Cemetery Association with respect to the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) ratings of cemetery salespeople. Conversation revolved around the job of salespeople that go out to a site in the cemetery to show a consumer a specific burial location and the job of maintenance workers that are conducting physical labor out in the cemetery grounds. It was acknowledged that this is a costly issue for cemeteries but in the Ohio Cemetery Association’s previous discussions with BWC, the agency was not inclined to modify the rating. Mr. Applegate noted that the Association also had suggested that BWC create a new rating for salespeople that go out into the cemetery versus true office staff. The task force determined that they would send an invitation to BWC to come speak to task force about this issue so that the task force has a clearer understanding of the issue from both the professionals’ and agency’s perspectives.

The next topic discussed was the Ohio Township Association’s (OTA) request that statutory language be introduced to permit townships to sell merchandise. Mr. Applegate moved that the task force will include a recommendation that townships be permitted to sell merchandise. Mr. Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.Finally, the task force deliberated on the OTA’s request to have the date restriction from ORC 517.07 removed. Co-chair Petit made a motion and then an amended motion on the topic with a second on both from Mr. Turner. However, with additional discussion, both the motion, amended motion and both seconds were withdrawn. The task force then requested that Co-chair Petit and Ms. Monick work on drafting motions for the task force to consider at the next meeting regarding this matter.

It is my pleasure to share the exciting announcement of Ralph L. Coleman, Jr.'s new Champaign County, Ohio themed trilogy of books entitled: "Along Spain Creek" - Volumes 1 and 2** are currently in publication, and Volume 3, which will be available September 1, 2014.

I'm sure these publications will interest many of my blog readers who have long focused their research about life in Ohio's smaller villages and rural areas where its early pioneers, with their determined spirits and enterprising ways, created the Buckeye State's history -- a history woven within life stories that have been left untold for far too long -- just waiting for us to discover. I'm sure we'll find some of those stories on the pages of "Along Spain Creek."

~~~~~~~~

Please visit Ralph's Blog: "Along Spain Creek" (which is also featured on this blog under the category of "Genealogy Blogs of Interest).

**************

Please take a moment to review Ralph's descriptive details, and the order information for his new books provided below.

Thank you!

From Ralph:

*** Along Spain Creek:
Volume 1 ***

Published May 4, 2014

~~~~

"Small town humor, pathos, mystery, people,
places and things are all to be found in this first volume of stories,
experiences, tall tales, and historical notes spun out of the environs of a
group of rural communities which are located in central Ohio, situated near an
insignificant, meandering stream called Spain Creek.

The approximate 66 vignettes include such
diverse topics as the history of North Lewisburg, local cemeteries…to include
the work projects of Linda Ellis…, the post office robbery, fraternal and
social organizations, old newspaper accounts, characters who were the
life-blood of the community, and so much more!

*** Along Spain Creek: Volume 2 ***

**Available from Amazon July 8th, 2014 and Available from The Author July 15, 2014

~~~~

The vignettes continue in this second
volume of historic nostalgia about people, places, things and happenings along Spain Creek in central Ohio.

*** Along Spain Creek:Volume 3 ***

To be published September 1, 2014

~~~~

This volume will conclude the trilogy.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Each volume is 6 inches x 9 inches, and approximately 180 pages.

Two books in this trilogy are now available for sale on two sites or via
mail:

·To
order a personalized, autographed, numbered limited first edition of:

Your personalized and numbered books will
be shipped to you via First Class Mail.

If you prefer to order by check, send your
check (or money order) for the purchase amount (plus $2.00 s/h) to the author
at:

Ralph
L. Coleman, Jr.

1678
East 1475 South

Ogden,
UT 84404-6009

Be sure to include your personalization request!

Buyers of Volume 1 and Volume 2
will have matching limited first edition numbers.

If Volume 3 is subsequently purchased via the
Along Spain Creek STORE, (or
via mail) it will also have a matching
limited first edition number so the buyer’s set is complete.

·If
you prefer to purchase your non-personalized, non-numbered, standard first
edition of Volume 1 or Volume 2 via Amazon.com,
there are links on the Along Spain Creek BlogSpot to take you directly to
Amazon.com.Books purchased through
Amazon.com are shipped from the Amazon distribution site."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Reminder from Ralph:

**"Volume 2 is now available on Amazon.com, but not on my Along Spain Creek Store.

Volume 2 can now be purchased on
Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle versions.

The
paperback version on Amazon.com is a standard paperback, and not
personalized, not numbered, and not limited first edition. Those books
can only be purchased on my site, and are not available until July 15th."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Also, thanking Ralph for so kindly including my great-great-great grandfather, Harmon Limes, Jr., who was North Lewisburg's first appointed marshal.

"I have mentioned you and your great cemetery work in Volume 1, in a vignette titled "Common Ground,"
which can be found on pages 118-120. This item deals with the
cemeteries in and around North Lewisburg, and your ancestor Harmon
Limes, Jr."

Champaign County Preservation Alliance

Historic Markers at Ohio Cemeteries

Side by Side Comparison of a Gravestone Polished with a Power Tool

This gravestone was repaired, cleaned, and polished sometime in 2013 - 2014. While the repair work to the cracks appears to have been done in an acceptable manner, however, the unnaturally bright white and shiny highly polished surface finish is indicative of other gravestones in this cemetery that have been known to be polished using a Nyalox Brush on a Power Drill. This gravestone had clear deeply carved lettering and motif that were diminished by the abrasiveness of the use of a power tool. Using power tools on gravestones is not condoned by nationally recognized professional gravestone organizations and their conservators such as NCPTT and A.G.S.

Linda Ellis and Original Gravestone of Harmon Limes, Jr.

At the Champaign County Ohio Historical Society Museum - October 6, 2013

Ohio Township Association

Photo of the Month - March 2017

The Graveyard Rabbit

A member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits - Logo design courtesy of Footnotemaven

A Forgotten Gravesite

A Forgotten Veteran

Do Not Add Paint to Granite Grave Markers

Peeling paint on a granite grave marker

Do Not Move Gravestones Away from Their Original Gravesites

Don't move a gravestone away from its original gravesite even if it is broken. Once the 'stones are no longer over the bones' it can be impossible to know for sure where they should be; and the actual location of the burial and gravesite is uncertain because the stone was moved away from it.

Detrimental Effects from Nyalox Nylon Brush Use on a Gravestone Can be Seen in a Few Short Years

From Brad Manzenberger: "Critics of D2 have questioned its use because "we don't know what it is going to do to the stone in 50 years." What they never seem to question is what Nyalox brushes on drills will do to a stone in 50 years. The answer to both questions is that we do not know. However, I can show example after example of stones cleaned with Nyalox within the last decade that may actually look worse in some cases than they did before any work was done. This is at Livezey Cemetery, Prairie Twp., Henry Co., IN."

"Buried Beneath Cleveland : Lost Cemeteries of Cuyahoga County" By William G. Krejci

GRAVESTONE PRESERVATION SUPPLIERS

"SAVING MISS EMILY" BY JONATHAN APPELL

RAPID ASSESSMENT FORM

Cemetery Assessment Form from the National Park Service's National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

PRESERVING AND RESTORING BRONZE GRAVE MARKERS AND MEMORIALS

Bronze Grave Markers:

Dennis Montagna, Historian at the National Park Service:For those who have questions on the subject of bronze grave markers and memorials, please contact Mr. Dennis Montagna, Historian at the National Park Service at his email address below to ask questions for one-on-one guidance for their care and restoration: